Sparks Street is a pedestrian mall in downtown Ottawa. It’s a mix of office towers, shops and restaurants. I liked the old fashioned sign and the chairs stacked up waiting for the Cocktail Hour.
Tag Archives: Black and White Photography
END OF THE ROAD
I always find scenes like this pretty melancholy, however, the boots were in fairly decent shape and placed with care. Maybe the owner left them there for someone else to wear.
NEIGHBOURHOOD WALK
I’m not sure who was expecting the delivery here.
SHADOWS AND REFLECTIONS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I took both photos in downtown Ottawa. New construction abutting the old. This high-rise will be another added to the collection of unremarkable structures that take the place of buildings such as this lovely Art Deco style building.
ROYAL VISIT
I’m not a great fan of lawn art but I liked this touch of whimsy.
WATCHFUL
We stopped on the side of the road to enjoy the surroundings. It was perfectly silent and calm yet the sky held some menace as the clouds rolled in.
RED IN BLACK AND WHITE
Red squirrels are active all year round. When it gets very cold they retreat to dens in tree trunks but even so you often see them about if only briefly. They also depend on food that they have cached during the fall; frozen berries and buds.
TAKING IN THE SIGHTS
The dog’s owner had run into a store and left his Great Dane in the car. The huge dog in the tiny car drew a lot of attention and I had to wonder how the owner managed to drive with him on board.
HAIRY WOODPECKER
Very similar in appearance to the Downy Woodpecker, the Hairy is distinguished by its larger size and bill length. Have to admire that fancy footwork too. 😊
STEADY GAZE
Late in the season some wildlife seem less skittish around people. Either they’ve gotten used to our presence or just hoping to be fed.
WHAT A DAY
This female wood duck was just scratching an itch but you could read more into her expression.
BEFORE THE RIVER FREEZES (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I took this photo on a mild October day while walking along the river. The gull seemed to be enjoying the relative warmth too.
ROCK ART
I didn’t see this rock art being created and I don’t know how long it had been standing. Someone had formed a circle with these balancing rocks which I rather liked.
YOU TOOK MY SPOT
Standing on a pedestrian bridge, I watched some gulls fly overhead. I haven’t taken many birds in flight shots and thought I’d practice as this gull came in for a landing. I liked the expression on the other bird!
PATTERNS ON THE SHORE (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
On a walk by the river, I noticed the exposed roots of the old tree. They formed swirling patterns on the shoreline. They reminded me of the legs of some fantastic sea creature.
CALM (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
The mallard pair found a quiet spot near shore. No other ducks, barely a breeze; a perfect moment.
ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU
I saw this Labrador Retriever one day on a walk. He wasn’t bothered by me or my camera, never so much as barked as I took a few shots. Too busy watching his owner at the foot of the driveway.
RIVER VIEW (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
There’s a spot on the river where the cormorants gather. The silhouetted bird was sharing the tree with four other birds. I wish I had a longer lens that day.
SIDEWALK VIEW-2 (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I thought the little statue added some charm to this small yard. It looked as nicely weathered as the house beside it.
SECOND LOOK (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I like scenes like these, just a bit quirky.
FLOWERS TELL A TALE (THREE PHOTOGRAPHS)
The first flower peeked out of the long grass, its stem bent by a recent rain. I thought the shadow added interest to the tiny flower below.
ANTICIPATION (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I imagine the basketball was left there as I took the photo around lunchtime. The same holds true for the bike.
NEIGHBOURHOOD FAVOURITE (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
This was taken in a garden of an old house in the neighbourhood. The garden is left to itself and it’s thriving. It begins the season with a few tulips, then on to lilacs, lilies of the valley and later in the summer, tiger lilies. There are plenty of wild flowers too including these Dame’s-Rockets. A neighbourhood favourite for bees as well.
DOWNTOWN SCENES (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I liked the sign on the old apartment house. The blue design on the red brick caught my eye as well.
CURIOSITY (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
You have to wonder what happened here. A pair of canvas shoes placed neatly at the curb, almost as though their owner was going to slip them back on.
ROBIN GOTHIC
I didn’t have a chance to change the exposure compensation as the robin landed close by. I took the photo and despite how dark it was I liked it. I made a few adjustments in Lightroom and Photoshop and this is the result.
NEIGHBOURHOOD FINDS (THREE PHOTOGRAPHS)
Walls and fences make for interesting subjects. I find the colours and textures appealing. Add some greenery to complete the picture.
MONDAY WALK (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Under the current Covid stay at home orders staying close to home is what we’re doing. I’ve always enjoyed walking in our neighbourhood and this spring it’s like seeing everything for the first time.
ALL TUCKED IN (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I liked the shapes and swirls in this image, the water forming perfect circles around the little duckling.
LOOK, UP IN THE SKY… (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
Walking down a neighbourhood street I happened to look up and saw this construction worker suspended in midair. I can’t begin to imagine what that must feel like.
PATIENT PAL
We walked past this Basset Hound on our way to the store and he hadn’t budged on our return. A study in patience.
HEADING HOME (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I like to capture the wake pattern as a duck races towards shore. Have to wonder what the hurry is 😏.
BY THE RIVERSIDE (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
On this side of the reserve the river runs quickly. Threats to these mallard ducklings are fewer; the snapping turtles remain on the lake opposite and fewer hawks patrol the area. I came upon this family group on the river’s edge, two years ago. I hope to see similar scenes before too long.
GET CRACKING
During this unusual winter, I thought I’d try my hand at doing some studio work. Here is my first eggample 😊. Learning how to use flash: diffusing, blocking, reflecting and positioning it is a steep learning curve but fun too. Stay tuned for more…
FOREST DETAILS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
There’s always something that catches my eye when I’m out for a walk. I liked the windblown leaf pattern on the forest floor and the sapling pushing upward. It was nice to see the mushrooms too.
FEMALE WOOD DUCKS (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
I often see female wood ducks on their own or in very small groups. They are not as gregarious as mallards but have a charm all their own.
PAINTED TURTLE (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
This lake has a fair number of resident turtles. As I scanned the water for birds, I noticed a painted turtle enjoying a swim. Now it and its mates are buried deep in the mud, hibernating until spring.
A WALK IN THE PARK
Someone had stamped down the path somewhat but we still got plenty of exercise making our way along. No need for a gym membership with conditions like these 😏.
HARBOUR VIEW (2)
Another early morning on the Maine coast. Plenty of time to photograph the harbour before the sun burns off the fog.
FAST FRIES (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
This casse-croûte (snack bar in English) promises you your fries quick! We discovered this place on a walk through a small Quebec town.
